Google Seeking!

This blog is intended for anyone with internet access.

Many people are not aware of the act known as seeking. In the professional world, this is called Information Gathering. On a personal level, it has been dubbed 'seeking', and can be done by anyone with access to the internet.

=== Problem ===

Can't seem to find that file you've been scouring the internet for? Do you remember the title, and the type of file it is? Well, I have your answer!

=== Theory ===

Google has much more capabilities than just basic "" commands. If you type a certain bit of easy to remember code, you can narrow down your searches very easily.

=== Solution ===

Open up your internet browser (hopefully not Internet Explorer) and navigate to www.google.com. In the search field, type the following command:

"intitle:index of"

Unlike most examples, I want you to include the quotation marks (" "). This tells Google to ONLY search for sites that have "index of" in the title. "Index of" is basically a VIP back-stage pass to most websites. It doesn't give you all the fluff and pretty graphics and confusing layout. Instead, this gives you the hard-core data of the website. You could find practically anything with this basic command. Let's say we wanted to solve a Rubik's Cube. Type this in:

"intitle:index of" rubik's cube solving pdf

Type it exactly as I've put it. At the time of this writing, the first result is this website, which is exactly what we're looking for. Now, you can click on the pdf and view it. You can even download it to save onto a flash drive for later viewing.

The possibilities with this are endless, but I'll let you experiment and see what you can find. Get creative!

=== A word of caution ===

Some of the websites that come up in this search can lead to malware or virus infiltration. Be cautious of the sites you pick. If you go to a site with a lot of advertising and flashing windows, hit the back button and try another one. Always make sure your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware are running, because the file you download could also contain something harmful. The individual who put the file on their website may not know about a virus lurking inside their .pdf's (yes, they can hide inside a .pdf).

Best of luck and happy seeking! I hope you have found this blog helpful. If you'd like, feel free to subscribe or add me to your RSS reeder! If you have questions or would like for a specific topic to be covered, please feel free to email me.

Thanks for reading,
- Nick